Scottish Executive

Adult Literacy

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what help is available to small and medium enterprises to identify adult literacy and numeracy problems.

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what help is available to small and medium enterprises to combat literacy and numeracy problems in the workplace.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Raising literacy levels in the workplace is one of the issues that will be considered by the Adult Literacy 2000 Team in their report to Ministers in December. To inform their recommendations, the team has commissioned research into:

  the attitudes of employers, employees and unemployed to literacy levels in the workplace;

  whether literacy demands are increasing, and

  what would motivate or prevent individuals from seeking help.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support or assistance it has given directly or indirectly to low cost carriers to fly within or to and from Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has provided no direct financial assistance to low cost carriers to fly within or to and from Scotland. The Scottish Executive does, however, support Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, which has provided discounted airport charges to operators of new services for the first three years of operation.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been or are being taken to encourage low cost carriers to fly to and from Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd have had discussions with low cost carriers about new services to and from Scotland.

Birds

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a response to the report Capercaillie : A Review of Research Needs .

Mr Sam Galbraith: No.

  Since the Scottish Executive funded this review along with the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage, I see no need for the Executive to respond formally to its findings. I am, however, concerned at the serious threat to the capercaillie which the report has highlighted and the same funding partnership will be commencing further work in early 2001 to build upon the recommendations in the review.

  Since the publication in August 2000 of Capercaillie: A Review of Research Needs, the Executive has consulted widely on changes to the legal status of the capercaillie. At present, it is afforded legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is listed in Schedule 2, Part I. This means that the capercaillie may be hunted between 1 February – 30 September. The consultation seeks the views of Scottish interests on listing the species on Schedule 1 in order to prohibit hunting the capercaillie. This would give additional protection and provide stricter penalties.

  I expect to publish the results of this consultation early in the New Year.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households where the householder is a pensioner currently (a) have central heating and (b) do not have central heating and what criteria it uses to determine whether a household is a household where the householder is a pensioner.

Jackie Baillie: The 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey estimated that 477,000 pensioner households had central heating and 88,000 did not. We estimate that in the four years since the survey was carried out the number without central heating will have fallen to around 70,000. For the purpose of the survey a pensioner household is one which contains one or more adults of pensionable age and no children.

Child Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10963 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 November 2000, what action it has taken in the light of its discussions with the End Child Prostitution and Pornography Trafficking Campaign.

Mr Jim Wallace: The discussion with ECPAT (UK) forms part of a continuing series of Home Office led meetings, the outcome of which will result in a formal public consultation exercise early this year.

Child Safety

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the computers and e-mail addresses being provided to schoolchildren will not allow access to children by paedophiles.

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to educate children and parents on the danger of approach by paedophiles through chat rooms and the Internet.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has issued an information pack "ClickThinking – Personal Safety on the Internet" to all Scottish schools and to a wide range of other bodies dealing with children. The pack gives guidance to children and young people, their parents or carers, teachers and others who work with young people on using the Internet in a safe and informed way, and includes a set of resources for schools and families. The pack can be found on the Internet at www.scotland.gov.uk/clickthinking.

  All schools and education authorities have been encouraged to produce policies for the safe and ethical use of the Internet. In order to facilitate this development the Scottish Executive is organising a conference in February 2001 for education authorities to ensure a common understanding of security issues.

Crime Prevention

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8233 by Angus MacKay on 24 July 2000, how many publicly funded CCTV cameras are now operational in Glasgow and what plans it has to increase the number of cameras located in and around schools as part of an integrated plan to tackle bullying of children by their peers and to protect them from approaches by paedophiles.

Iain Gray: The number of cameras funded from the Scottish Executive CCTV Challenge Competition in Glasgow still stands at 238. However, I understand that projects involving the installation of 35 cameras awarded grant in last year’s competition have been delayed as they form part of Glasgow City Council’s proposals to integrate and consolidate all the CCTV systems currently operating in Glasgow. These proposals are currently being assessed under the criteria for the 2001-02 round of the competition.

  It is open to schools to apply for funding from the CCTV Challenge Competition and several have been successful in previous rounds. In general, it is the responsibility of education authorities and schools to decide on security measures which are appropriate for each school, and their effectiveness in particular circumstances.

Crime Prevention

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide blanket network coverage of Glasgow with CCTV cameras as part of an integrated plan to combat crime and increase the public’s perception of safety on the city’s streets.

Iain Gray: We are currently considering applications for the 2001-02 round of the Scottish Executive CCTV Challenge Competition. The Glasgow Community Safety Partnership Board and Glasgow City Council have submitted two proposals for the consolidation, integration and sustainability of CCTV systems currently operating in Glasgow. I expect to be able to announce the successful applications this month.

Disabled People

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action was taken, either by itself or jointly with Her Majesty’s Government, to mark European Day of Disabled Persons on 5 December 2000 and to raise public awareness of the issues which impact on disabled people.

Jackie Baillie: The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was launched in Scotland by the Minister for Social Justice on European Day of Disabled Persons. The Scottish Executive looks to work closely with the DRC to raise public awareness of the issues which impact on disabled people.

Domestic Abuse

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold talks with Glasgow Women’s Aid and Easterhouse Women’s Aid over the intended provision of three extra places in Glasgow refuges.

Jackie Baillie: We have allocated £10 million to provide refuge spaces for all who need them by 2004. As stated in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland , there will be a review of the COSLA recommendations with regard to refuge spaces which will include looking at patterns of refuge demand. We will then be in a better position to decide where new provision should be allocated.

Domestic Abuse

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold talks with Glasgow City Council on the funding situation of Women’s Aid refuges in the city.

Jackie Baillie: The funding of local Women’s Aid refuges remains a matter for local authorities.

Domestic Abuse

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the funding arrangements for Women’s Aid projects and to remove any uncertainty over future funding arrangements.

Jackie Baillie: The Action Plan contained in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland contains a series of recommendations about access to services, including refuge provision by Women’s Aid. We are committed to implementing the Action Plan in full.

Employment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage Scots working abroad or in England with skills in the labour market that are scarce to return to Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Policy on employment issues is a reserved matter.

  The Scottish Executive’s Programme for Government places a high priority on employability, the relevance of education and training provision to employer needs, and matching skills to the employment market. A key role of the new Scottish Labour Market Intelligence Unit will be to improve the availability, nationally and locally, of information about current and future demand.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Climate Change Programme will involve the population in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Climate Change Programme engages the population in many ways across a number of sectors. For example, a proportion of the revenue from the climate change levy will be used to strengthen the work of the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office to assist the Scottish business and public sectors to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. There is the Executive’s Warm Deal scheme and the central heating initiative which will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the domestic sector. There is also the Home Energy Conservation Act which makes Scottish local authorities responsible for promoting home energy efficiency across all sectors of the housing stock. And there are plans to raise awareness among schoolchildren and for Scottish travel and Scottish environment awareness campaigns to encourage the general population to take action.

Ethnic Minority Grant

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the distribution of Ethnic Minority Grant and which organisations or bodies are consulted as part of the decision-making process.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive determines the policy and criteria for the Ethnic Minority Grant Scheme and Scottish Ministers make the decisions on which projects are to be funded. The scheme is administered on behalf of the Executive by the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund (UVAF). UVAF runs the application process, makes recommendations on applications and monitors and provides support to the successful projects.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Health Technology Board for Scotland will be consulted with regard to the drug Rilutek being assessed for use within the NHSiS or whether decisions on Rilutek’s use will be based solely on the assessment by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence who are reviewing the drug for the NHS.

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress the Health Technology Board for Scotland has made in tackling "postcode prescribing" in relation to Rilutek.

Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board are finalising arrangements to provide the NHS in Scotland with advice on the Scottish implications of all Final Appraisal Determinations from NICE. This will be available in early 2001. Until then, the NHS in Scotland would be expected to take all relevant evidence, including NICE advice, into account when assessing new technologies.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Greater Glasgow Health Board will be seeking advice from the Health Technology Board for Scotland in respect of Rilutek or will be awaiting the decision of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence.

Susan Deacon: Greater Glasgow Health Board have not asked the Health Technology Board for advice on Rilutek.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit of the Health Technology Board for Scotland is in determining advice for drugs and treatments in the NHSiS.

Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland was established to provide a single source of evidence-based advice to the NHSiS on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing health technologies (drugs, devices, clinical procedures and settings).

Health

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail by health board area, in each of the five years to 1999, (a) the number of neurologists employed by the NHSiS and (b) the median waiting time for new outpatient neurology appointments.

Susan Deacon: The number of consultant neurologists employed by the NHS in Scotland for the years 1995-99 is given in the table as broken down by health board area.

  The median waiting times for a first outpatient appointment with a Consultant Neurologist, following referral by a General Practitioner, for the years 1993-94 to 1999-2000 were provided in my reply to question S1W-11227.

  Consultant neurologists employed by the NHS in Scotland at 30 September by Health Board area in the years 1995-99

  


Health Board Area 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Argyll/Clyde 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Ayrshire/Arran 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  



Borders 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Dumfries/Galloway 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  



Fife 
  

1 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  

3 
  



Forth Valley 
  

1 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  



Grampian 
  

4 
  

4 
  

3 
  

4 
  

5 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

14 
  

15 
  

15 
  

16 
  

17 
  



Highland 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  



Lothian 
  

7 
  

8 
  

9 
  

9 
  

10 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Shetland 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Tayside 
  

4 
  

4 
  

5 
  

4 
  

5 
  



Western Isles 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Total 
  

30 
  

31 
  

32 
  

33 
  

37 
  



  Notes:

  1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations who work with chronic pain sufferers it currently funds; how much funding it has made available to each organisation in the current financial year, and what plans it has to provide additional funding to these or other organisations in the future.

Susan Deacon: Chronic pain is unfortunately a symptom which may be present over a wide range of diseases and conditions, for example, arthritis, cancers, back disorders, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and myalgic encephalomyelitis. It can also result from general injury or disability. In addition to the treatment available within the NHS in Scotland, the Scottish Executive provides funding support, under section 16B of the NHS (Scotland) Act 1978, to a range of voluntary organisations involved in the provision of help and support to individuals affected by particular health disorders, many of which will include palliative care provision. The following table shows the current provision.

  Funding for future years is still under consideration. It is open to any health-related voluntary organisation to apply for funding under the scheme. Each application received is carefully considered on its merits, alongside competing demands.

  

 

Funding - financial year 2000-01 
  



Pain Association Scotland 
  

£52,450
(also includes funding support under sections 
  9 and 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968). 
  



The Scottish Partnership Agency for Palliative and Cancer 
  Care 
  

£30,000 
  



British Association of Cancer United Patients (BACUP) 
  

£15,000 
  



Breast Cancer Care 
  

£32,000 
  



Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) 
  

£25,000 
  



British Liver Trust 
  

£7,000 
  



Brittle Bone Society 
  

£5,000 
  



Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association 
  

£13,000 
  



Parkinson’s Disease Society 
  

£12,000 
  



Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Foundation 
  

£5,000 
  



Scottish Huntington’s Association 
  

£15,000 
  



Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association 
  

£15,000 
  



  Notes:

  1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether patient groups are represented on drug and therapeutic committees.

Susan Deacon: Drug and therapeutic committees are expert technical committees of the health board and Trust and do not normally have patient representation.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to track continuously the numbers of NHS patients ready for discharge following the figures set out in the 30 September census report published by the Information and Statistics Division.

Susan Deacon: From 30 September this year, comprehensive patient-specific national information is collected quarterly and published by the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland (ISD Scotland).

  The next census date is 15 January 2001. The information gathered will be published the following March after data quality assurance by ISD and data verification by health and social care agencies.

Health

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died prematurely from illnesses which resulted from living in cold homes over the last three years and how many are expected to die over the next three years in similar circumstances.

Iain Gray: There is no recognised grouping or selection of cold-related illnesses. Many illnesses may be exacerbated by cold conditions, but it is impossible to quantify the role of such an effect in any resultant deaths.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to page 12 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change published on 14 December 2000, whether NHS Trusts will be replaced by a single unified board, as stated in paragraph one, or whether NHS Trusts will remain and will retain their operational responsibility for the delivery of services, as stated in paragraph two.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health signals a reduction in bureaucracy in the NHS in Scotland. It makes it clear on page 30 that Trusts will remain and will retain their existing operational and legal responsibilities but with streamlined management arrangements and fewer non-executive directors. One unified NHS board in each of the existing 15 health board areas will replace the present separate governing board structures of both existing health boards and Trusts. The Scottish Executive will publish a detailed plan early in 2001 on the changes to be made in the governance of NHS Scotland.

Hunting

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received from the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute a revised report and statistics on the economic impacts of banning hunting with dogs.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it commissioned a revised report on the economic impacts of banning of hunting with dogs from the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and whether any public money has been paid to the institute for additional research or a revised report.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) officials and (b) ministers had any type of contact with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute about plans to revise its report and statistics on the economic impacts of banning hunting with dogs.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the revised report from the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute on the economic impacts of banning hunting with dogs.

Rhona Brankin: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute has revised that section of its report on the economic impact of a ban on hunting with dogs in Scotland relating to the possible job losses amongst employees of mounted hunts, subscribers and followers. The institute did this of their own volition when it became clear to them that information which they had been given, and on which they had based their original assessments, was incomplete. A copy of the revised section of the report was passed to the Scottish Executive and has since been sent to the Rural Affairs Committee.

  I am grateful to the institute for carrying out this further work, at no additional cost to the Executive, in the interests of providing the best possible impartial information with which to inform the debate on the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill. The Executive has no view on the conclusions in either the original report or the revised section.

Hunting

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek a refund of the money paid to the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute for the original report on the economic impacts of banning hunting with dogs in the light of the revision of the report’s findings.

Rhona Brankin: It would not be appropriate to seek a refund of any of the money paid to the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute for their report into the economic impact of a ban on hunting with dogs in Scotland. The conclusions contained in their original report were based on information supplied to the institute at the time. Once it became clear to the institute that the information supplied to them was incomplete they, quite properly, undertook the further work which resulted in the revised figures they have produced.

Justice

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any funding difficulties facing rural CCTV trusts.

Iain Gray: No particular problems have been brought to our attention but if they are we will address them at that time.

Justice

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take following the publication of the recent report by its Central Research Unit, Survey of Complainers to the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, and specifically whether it intends to instigate a review relating to complaints against solicitors and the way these are dealt with both by the Law Society of Scotland and the Legal Services Ombudsman.

Mr Jim Wallace: The aim of the Survey of Complainers to the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman (SLSO) was to help the Ombudsman to improve the view and the understanding which complainers have of the SLSO’s investigations. The study yielded useful operational information, it made clear a desire for the process of investigation to be speeded up and a need for more personal contact. The Ombudsman has acted on this information. The backlog of cases has fallen from 14 months (in July) to six months. It is the Ombudsman’s intention that the backlog will be further reduced to four months by Easter 2001. The Office of the Ombudsman is to occupy new premises in early December, which has easy access for disabled complainers and a dedicated interview room.

  The Central Research Unit is currently in discussion with the Law Society with a view to carrying out research into complaints handling and related issues.

MMR Vaccine

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2606 by Susan Deacon on 30 November 2000, whether the single vaccinations for mumps, measles and rubella are available to patients who cannot receive the combined vaccine and what clinical reasons are necessary to allow the single vaccinations to be made available.

Susan Deacon: The licensing and safety of medicines is a reserved matter. Single dose measles and mumps vaccines are not licensed for sale or use in the UK.

  The Medicines Control Agency will not object on safety grounds to the import of unlicensed single vaccines if the responsible clinician has declared that the licensed MMR vaccine cannot meet the special needs of an individual patient e.g. where the patient is sensitive to any of the ingredients in the MMR vaccine. The MCA has also accepted that where a patient has begun a course of treatment of single vaccines, it is in the interests of public health that the course be completed.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to my letter of 7 August 2000 regarding my constituent Mr T Graham.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10415 on 9 January 2001.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £39 million earmarked for public health in 2000-01 was allocated in terms of priorities and targets.

Susan Deacon: The priorities and targets addressed by the £39 million identified for public health in 2000-01 are the creation of the Health Improvement Fund, matters relating to the implementation of the White Paper Towards a Healthier Scotland , AIDS/HIV health promotion, demonstration projects in areas of poor health, the Scottish Diet Action Group, drug misuse education and training, alcohol misuse education and prevention and tobacco control.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unfilled physiotherapist vacancies exist in each health Trust.

Susan Deacon: 11 NHS Trusts in Scotland had vacancies which remained unfilled after three months or more as at 31 March 2000.

  A breakdown of the vacancies in these Trusts is shown in the table.

  Physiotherapist Vacancies in the NHS in Scotland by Provider

  


NHS Trust 
  

WTE vacant for more than 3 months 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute 
  

4.0 
  



Renfrewshire & Inverclyde Primary Care 
  

1.0 
  



Fife Acute 
  

1.0 
  



Yorkhill 
  

2.7 
  



North Glasgow University 
  

3.0 
  



Highland Acute 
  

2.5 
  



Highland Primary Care 
  

2.5 
  



Lanarkshire Primary Care 
  

3.2 
  



Lothian University 
  

1.0 
  



Lothian Primary Care 
  

1.5 
  



Tayside Primary Care 
  

0.4 
  



TOTAL 
  

22.8

NHS Waiting Lists

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information on NHS waiting lists it holds centrally and how any such information is compiled.

Susan Deacon: Detailed information about hospital waiting lists in Scotland, compiled from hospitals’ Patient Administration Systems, is collected centrally by the Information and Statistics Division (ISD) of the Common Services Agency for NHS Scotland. The Scottish Executive relies on the information provided by ISD to monitor movements in waiting lists across Scotland. Key figures for each health board and NHS Trust are published quarterly on the Scottish Health On the Web (SHOW) website ( http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd ).

Pre-School Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2431 by Nicol Stephen on 2 November 2000, whether the working group on deferred entry to pre-school education has now reported and, if so, when its conclusions will be made available to the Parliament.

Nicol Stephen: The Report of the Deferrals Working Group was published in the week commencing 4 December 2000 along with my initial response. Copies were sent to all local authorities and a wide range of childcare bodies as well as being available on request to members of the public. In addition copies were sent to Education Culture and Sport Committee members and a copy placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre. The report was also posted on the Scottish Executive website.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9796 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 September 2000, what the actual cost to the taxpayer of the contract in respect of Kilmarnock Prison will be over the 25-year period of the contract, specified in cash terms rather than net present value terms.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The actual cost of the contract in (real) cash terms is around £266 million.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost to the taxpayer will be of each prisoner place at Kilmarnock Prison over the 25-year period of the contract, based on the total cost of the contract in respect of Kilmarnock Prison, in (a) cash terms and (b) net present value terms.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The average annual cost per prisoner place will be (a) around £21,000 in (real) cash terms and (b) £11,000 in net present value terms.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate claims that the Scottish Prison Service has misled it and the Parliament concerning the running costs of Kilmarnock Prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. The Scottish Prison Service has provided consistent information on the cost of the contract for HMP Kilmarnock. Additional information has also been published in the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 1999-2000 which have been certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General as giving a true and fair view.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Clive Fairweather’s evidence to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on 11 September 1999 that the reported average (net present value) £11,000 cost per prisoner place (CPPP) at Kilmarnock Prison was not directly comparable with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) average CPPP of £28,000 ( Official Report , col. 1666), whether, if the average CPPP at Kilmarnock was calculated on the same basis as the SPS figure, it would be £26,000 and, if not, what it would be.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The total cost of HMP Kilmarnock over the 25-year period of the contract is approximately £130 million in net present value terms. This equates to an annual cost per prisoner place of around £11,000 in net present value terms.

  Using the same methodology, the annual cost per prisoner place for the Scottish Prison Service designing, constructing, financing and operating HMP Kilmarnock over 25 years would be around £21,000 in net present value terms.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2491 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 November 1999, whether it now has any plans for the creation or use of any privately owned and operated prisons other than Kilmarnock.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There are currently no such plans.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service intends to close a further five prisons including Dumfries Young Offenders Institute.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why, given reports that Dumfries Young Offenders Institution may close, an assurance was recently given to me by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service that it would not be closed.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-11672. I repeat the assurance given previously, namely that the Scottish Prison Service has, at present, no plans to close Dumfries Prison.

Schools

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to assist local authorities to undertake PPPs in order to repair and rebuild schools and, if so, whether an announcement to this effect will be made in the near future.

Mr Jack McConnell: We continue to see Public/Private Partnerships as having an important role in the context of work on school buildings. Bids by authorities for a share of £5 million which we have made available to support the costs involved in the early stages of the development of such projects are currently being reviewed.

  School building PPP projects with a capital value of around £530 million will benefit from revenue support which we shall be making available over the duration of the contracts under level playing support arrangements on which decisions were announced in November 1998. We are giving consideration to the possibility of a further round of support along similar lines and will reach a decision on this as soon as practicable.

Schools

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the circumstances which led this week to the closure at short notice of Ardgowan Primary School in Greenock and whether it intends to carry out a full structural examination of all schools of similar construction and age.

Mr Jack McConnell: Inverclyde Council decided to close the school temporarily as a precautionary measure to allow a technical and structural assessment to be made on load-bearing structures following the discovery of cracks in a sandstone column between the windows at the south-west corner of the school. That assessment has been completed and the necessary structural repairs carried out, enabling most pupils to return to their classrooms from the alternative accommodation which the council organised. Primary 6 pupils will remain in that alternative accommodation for a further period to allow localised reinstatement work on the areas affected by the structural work.

  The local authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of school buildings. It is for them to ensure that the condition of school buildings is kept under review and that any structural surveys which may be required to inform that process are carried out.

Schools

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have mobile phone masts attached to the building, broken down by local authority.

Mr Jack McConnell: This information is not available centrally.

Scotland House

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the interaction and relationship between the UK Embassy in Brussels and Scotland House in terms of responsibility and authority to act.

Mr Jack McConnell: Scotland House accommodates several Scottish organisations including the Scottish Executive EU Office. The Scottish Executive EU Office is fully responsible to the Scottish Executive and acts in accordance with Scottish Ministers’ instructions. The Scottish Executive EU Office has had occasional contact with the British Embassy in Brussels, which is responsible for the UK’s relations with Belgium. The Scottish Executive EU Office works closely with the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union (UKRep). UKRep involves the Scottish Executive EU Office in EU decision making in accordance with the devolution settlement.

Scotland House

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed at Scotland House in Brussels, broken down by levels of seniority in civil service grading and by sector in which they are employed, and what the remit is of Scotland House.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive established a Brussels-based EU Office in July 1999. This office is located in Scotland House, which also houses a number of other Scottish organisations.

  The purpose of the office is to assist the Scottish Executive in carrying out its EU-related business. It carries out the following roles:

  Operational support to the Scottish Executive

  Information gathering

  Assisting in influencing EU policy

  Raising Scotland’s profile in the EU

  There are currently six permanent members of staff based in this office who are employed by the Scottish Executive. The number of staff in each Scottish Executive payband and their areas of responsibility are outlined below:

  


Scottish Executive Pay Band 
  

Number of staff 
  

Area of responsibility 
  



Senior Civil Service 
  

1 
  

Head of Office
Liaison with other Regions and the European Parliament
Institutional issues 
  



Band C 
  

1 
  

Agriculture, Fisheries, Public Health 
  



Band B 
  

2 
  

Environment, Transport, Energy, Justice and Home Affairs, 
  Regional Policy, Education & Training, Social Policy, 
  Industry, Culture 
  



Band A 
  

2 
  

Administrative support

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding any continuing dissatisfaction among pupils and parents with the results of the appeal process.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in close touch with SQA about progress with the appeals process, and has arranged for it to be independently monitored by representatives of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES). Decisions on individual appeals are for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) as an independent awarding body but the Executive has discussed with SQA their arrangements for dealing with any concerns about the outcome of appeals.

Smoking

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2472 by Susan Deacon on 9 November 2000, whether it will detail the enforcement package to target under-age sales of tobacco.

Susan Deacon: Scottish Executive officials have been working with COSLA and the Scottish representatives of the local authority body on Food and Trade Standards towards the adoption of an enforcement protocol to improve enforcement of Scottish legislation which prohibits the sale of tobacco products to under 16s and a related public awareness campaign. An announcement about the details of the enforcement package will be made in due course.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to concerns expressed by the British Association of Social Workers that directors and other chief officers in charge of social work have been excluded from the new arrangements for the regulation of care as set out in The Way Forward for Care .

Malcolm Chisholm: Directors and other chief officers responsible for social workers and social care services are not excluded from the new arrangements. They will be expected to follow the code of practice for those employing social service workers. In addition, those who are professional social workers will register as such with the Scottish Social Services Council.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the current round of New Opportunities Fund ICT training for teachers and how much of the total cost was spent on the folder of materials provided to each course participant.

Mr Jack McConnell: The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) allocated £23 million in Scotland to provide training for all serving teachers and school librarians in publicly-funded schools who want to undertake the training programme. Training is delivered by 12 approved training providers in Scotland, each of whom will have their own models of delivery. Schools choose training providers from a catalogue of training providers approved by the NOF. Any material given to participants will be a matter for the training provider concerned.

Teachers

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teachers aged (i) 26 to 30; (ii) 31 to 35; (iii) 36 to 40; (iv) 41 to 45; (v) 46 to 50; (vi) 51 to 55, and (vii) 56 to 60 there were in each local authority area in the last academic year.

Mr Jack McConnell: The following tables show the latest information available on the age profile of primary and secondary teachers in each local authority area.

  


Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) teachers in publicly funded 
  primary schools, by local authority, September 1998 
  



 


 


Percentage of Total 
  



 


All Ages 
  

Under 26 
  

26-30 
  

31-35 
  

36-40 
  

41-45 
  

46-50 
  

51-55 
  

56-60 
  

Over 60 
  



 


(FTE) 
  

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 




SCOTLAND 
  

22,494 
  

6 
  

10 
  

8 
  

10 
  

22 
  

24 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

829 
  

8 
  

11 
  

8 
  

11 
  

17 
  

26 
  

15 
  

4 
  

0 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

1,155 
  

7 
  

11 
  

5 
  

11 
  

22 
  

23 
  

15 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Angus 
  

502 
  

5 
  

9 
  

8 
  

7 
  

26 
  

23 
  

15 
  

6 
  

0 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

443 
  

3 
  

7 
  

10 
  

11 
  

23 
  

27 
  

14 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

217 
  

11 
  

9 
  

7 
  

10 
  

21 
  

27 
  

10 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

703 
  

6 
  

11 
  

10 
  

11 
  

21 
  

24 
  

13 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Dundee City 
  

643 
  

6 
  

10 
  

8 
  

7 
  

19 
  

28 
  

14 
  

7 
  

1 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

538 
  

3 
  

6 
  

5 
  

12 
  

22 
  

29 
  

18 
  

5 
  

1 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

480 
  

8 
  

11 
  

7 
  

8 
  

19 
  

26 
  

13 
  

7 
  

1 
  



East Lothian 
  

405 
  

6 
  

12 
  

10 
  

11 
  

18 
  

25 
  

12 
  

5 
  

1 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

395 
  

4 
  

10 
  

7 
  

9 
  

27 
  

23 
  

15 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,509 
  

7 
  

14 
  

9 
  

9 
  

20 
  

23 
  

12 
  

5 
  

0 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

195 
  

6 
  

6 
  

8 
  

12 
  

15 
  

22 
  

18 
  

11 
  

1 
  



Falkirk 
  

587 
  

9 
  

10 
  

7 
  

10 
  

21 
  

24 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Fife 
  

1,646 
  

7 
  

9 
  

8 
  

13 
  

22 
  

23 
  

15 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Glasgow City 
  

2,418 
  

3 
  

10 
  

12 
  

12 
  

24 
  

22 
  

12 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Highland 
  

1,098 
  

5 
  

8 
  

10 
  

9 
  

21 
  

25 
  

15 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Inverclyde 
  

363 
  

3 
  

10 
  

8 
  

8 
  

28 
  

25 
  

13 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Midlothian 
  

391 
  

5 
  

11 
  

6 
  

9 
  

24 
  

23 
  

17 
  

6 
  

0 
  



Moray 
  

428 
  

7 
  

6 
  

6 
  

13 
  

25 
  

21 
  

15 
  

7 
  

1 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

605 
  

4 
  

7 
  

8 
  

12 
  

22 
  

28 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,482 
  

6 
  

11 
  

7 
  

10 
  

23 
  

21 
  

15 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

124 
  

5 
  

11 
  

7 
  

11 
  

18 
  

30 
  

14 
  

3 
  

0 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

583 
  

7 
  

8 
  

7 
  

8 
  

20 
  

26 
  

17 
  

6 
  

2 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

740 
  

4 
  

8 
  

5 
  

10 
  

25 
  

25 
  

18 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

500 
  

8 
  

8 
  

11 
  

9 
  

24 
  

21 
  

15 
  

4 
  

0 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

182 
  

4 
  

12 
  

10 
  

10 
  

19 
  

22 
  

17 
  

5 
  

1 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

448 
  

2 
  

3 
  

5 
  

9 
  

27 
  

28 
  

18 
  

6 
  

1 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,318 
  

5 
  

8 
  

7 
  

10 
  

25 
  

26 
  

14 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Stirling 
  

370 
  

5 
  

8 
  

9 
  

10 
  

21 
  

27 
  

15 
  

5 
  

0 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

445 
  

5 
  

8 
  

8 
  

8 
  

26 
  

26 
  

15 
  

4 
  

0 
  



West Lothian 
  

751 
  

9 
  

7 
  

5 
  

11 
  

27 
  

22 
  

14 
  

4 
  

1 
  



  


Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) teachers in publicly funded 
  secondary schools, by local authority, September 1998 
  



 


 


Percentage of Total 
  



 


All Ages 
  

Under 26 
  

26-30 
  

31-35 
  

36-40 
  

41-45 
  

46-50 
  

51-55 
  

56-60 
  

Over 60 
  



 


(FTE) 
  

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 




SCOTLAND 
  

24,090 
  

3 
  

7 
  

8 
  

14 
  

22 
  

26 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

868 
  

4 
  

10 
  

9 
  

11 
  

18 
  

23 
  

16 
  

8 
  

1 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

1,136 
  

4 
  

9 
  

9 
  

15 
  

19 
  

25 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Angus 
  

573 
  

3 
  

5 
  

8 
  

13 
  

18 
  

29 
  

15 
  

7 
  

1 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

444 
  

4 
  

6 
  

12 
  

14 
  

22 
  

25 
  

12 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

228 
  

4 
  

12 
  

9 
  

13 
  

19 
  

23 
  

13 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

817 
  

5 
  

8 
  

9 
  

16 
  

21 
  

25 
  

12 
  

4 
  

0 
  



Dundee City 
  

714 
  

3 
  

7 
  

8 
  

13 
  

21 
  

25 
  

17 
  

5 
  

1 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

582 
  

2 
  

7 
  

7 
  

15 
  

19 
  

25 
  

18 
  

7 
  

1 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

619 
  

2 
  

5 
  

8 
  

14 
  

22 
  

25 
  

18 
  

5 
  

1 
  



East Lothian 
  

367 
  

2 
  

9 
  

5 
  

11 
  

21 
  

27 
  

18 
  

6 
  

1 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

490 
  

4 
  

8 
  

9 
  

14 
  

23 
  

23 
  

13 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,428 
  

3 
  

7 
  

6 
  

11 
  

22 
  

31 
  

14 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

216 
  

4 
  

5 
  

7 
  

15 
  

14 
  

28 
  

17 
  

10 
  

1 
  



Falkirk 
  

660 
  

4 
  

8 
  

8 
  

12 
  

20 
  

24 
  

16 
  

7 
  

1 
  



Fife 
  

1,733 
  

4 
  

9 
  

9 
  

12 
  

19 
  

26 
  

16 
  

5 
  

0 
  



Glasgow City 
  

2,214 
  

2 
  

7 
  

8 
  

15 
  

26 
  

27 
  

11 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Highland 
  

1,256 
  

2 
  

6 
  

9 
  

13 
  

19 
  

26 
  

16 
  

8 
  

1 
  



Inverclyde 
  

435 
  

3 
  

7 
  

9 
  

18 
  

24 
  

23 
  

11 
  

4 
  

0 
  



Midlothian 
  

395 
  

3 
  

9 
  

8 
  

10 
  

26 
  

28 
  

13 
  

3 
  

0 
  



Moray 
  

466 
  

2 
  

3 
  

7 
  

14 
  

23 
  

26 
  

17 
  

6 
  

2 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

661 
  

3 
  

7 
  

8 
  

17 
  

20 
  

29 
  

13 
  

3 
  

1 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,710 
  

4 
  

8 
  

9 
  

16 
  

25 
  

22 
  

12 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

137 
  

4 
  

6 
  

8 
  

9 
  

23 
  

23 
  

22 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

613 
  

2 
  

5 
  

9 
  

14 
  

24 
  

26 
  

14 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

837 
  

2 
  

5 
  

7 
  

13 
  

24 
  

27 
  

15 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

540 
  

4 
  

8 
  

9 
  

13 
  

20 
  

24 
  

17 
  

5 
  

1 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

211 
  

2 
  

12 
  

12 
  

17 
  

18 
  

21 
  

13 
  

5 
  

1 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

573 
  

2 
  

6 
  

5 
  

12 
  

20 
  

28 
  

19 
  

7 
  

1 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,491 
  

3 
  

9 
  

7 
  

15 
  

27 
  

24 
  

11 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Stirling 
  

439 
  

2 
  

7 
  

7 
  

12 
  

20 
  

27 
  

18 
  

7 
  

0 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

492 
  

4 
  

10 
  

8 
  

13 
  

23 
  

25 
  

14 
  

4 
  

1 
  



West Lothian 
  

745 
  

5 
  

9 
  

6 
  

13 
  

20 
  

27 
  

14 
  

6 
  

1

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the mileage rate for transport expenses paid to teachers when attending in-service courses and similar events reflects the present cost of petrol.

Mr Jack McConnell: The payment of travelling expenses to teachers attending training courses and similar events is a matter for the relevant local authority as the teacher’s employer. National rates for the payment of such expenses are agreed annually through negotiation between the representatives of the teacher unions and the employers. Local authorities can choose whether to pay more than the nationally agreed rate.

Teachers

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how teachers are prepared, though initial training and continuing professional development, to promote and develop pupils’ Scots language skills.

Mr Jack McConnell: Guidelines for initial teacher education in Scotland require institutions to prepare teachers to be responsive to the needs of all pupils in respect of linguistic background.

  Courses prepare teachers to deliver the curriculum as set out in guidance such as the 5-14 guidelines.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund and support a survey of commuters using the Forth Road Bridge into their needs and requirements for any fast ferry crossing of the estuary.

Sarah Boyack: Decisions on cross-Forth transport matters need to be taken within the context of the Forth Transport Infrastructure Partnership (comprising the Executive, the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board and Edinburgh, Fife and West Lothian Councils) and in future will be a matter for a new Forth Road Bridge Joint Board.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Travel

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Parliament’s travel sourcing contract was put out to tender; if so, when, to whom invitations to tender were given, and why the contract was given to Carlson Wagonlit.

Sir David Steel: Pursuant to my previous answer, invitations to tender were issued to the following organisations:

  American Express

  Bell Travel

  Carlson Wagonlit

  Gray Dawes

  Hogg Robinson Travel

  Travel Management Group plc

  The contract was awarded to Carlson Wagonlit as it offered best overall value for money in terms of meeting the specified requirement and cost. The contract was awarded in June 2000 for a five-year period, with the option to extend for a further two years if required.